


My Boyfriend's Girlfriend

by manicExpressive



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Developing Relationship, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Past Relationship(s), Slight Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-09-19 08:45:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9431294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manicExpressive/pseuds/manicExpressive
Summary: It had all started with that phone call.Well, after a few phone calls. The first time Sonja had reached out to him was not long after Isak and Even had gotten together. Their second talk had been on the night of Even’s manic episode. He was already rattled, fraying at the edges when he finally had Sonja on the other line. The third conversation had come as a surprise. He'd reached out to Sonja to make sure Even's parents knew where he was, yet she called him and offered some indispensable advice.That was the last time they spoke.Until now.





	1. Ring meg

**Author's Note:**

> This is part one in what will be a "short" multi-chapter fic about Isak, Even, and Sonja post-s3.

It had all started with that phone call.

Well, after a few phone calls. The first time Sonja had reached out to him was not long after Isak and Even had gotten together. At Isak’s surprise, Even had taken his phone away and hung up on Sonja for him. Isak had pretty much ignored her after that moment. It was in no small part based in the jealousy he’d felt towards her before and the fear that contact—any contact—might reverse the progress he’d made. She was just mad that he got Even in the end, right?

And…he still had Even, didn’t he?

Their second talk had been on the night of Even’s manic episode. He was already rattled, fraying at the edges when he finally had Sonja on the other line. The phone call itself wasn’t what had hurt him—it was their meeting afterwards. He had felt immediate relief in knowing Even was safe, something that had overridden even Sonja’s involvement at the time. She knew Even, after all, and that was better than him being alone. It was mixed with confusion and fear on is own end, not knowing what the hell was happening. And when her words cut through those— _he’s manic. Do you think he’s in love with you?_ —reality left him raw and open to all the worst possibilities.

It hadn’t been a good night for anyone at that point. The thought of ever talking to her again…Isak had been fairly confident he wouldn’t be welcome into any part of Even’s life at that point. If it hadn’t been for his friends, for their care and support, he may not have made it.

And, strangely, not without Sonja either.

The third conversation had come as a surprise. Even was asleep in his room, as he had been most of the day and night at that point. For as much as her words had hurt him, and from the perspective that Magnus had given him, Isak knew that she and Even’s parents would likely want to know where their son was. He lifted his phone from where it sat on his chest and held it in front of him as he began to type.

> _Hi Sonja. I just wanted to tell you that Even is_
> 
> _with me if his parents are worried or anything._
> 
> _And I’m sorry if it’s because of me that he’s_
> 
> _not well._

Maybe he didn’t need to add that last part. Magnus had said that Sonja was probably just pissed off or jealous, but Isak couldn’t really remove his involvement from all of this. His words had hurt Even, Even has struggled to contain this. He shouldn’t have had to. Isak wasn’t sure when he wouldn’t feel guilty about that.

But after he hit send, he rested the phone back on his chest, turning his attention to the sleeping boy next to him. He had made mistakes—many mistakes—and he couldn’t take them back, but knowing that there was a chance for all this didn’t so much give him solace, but gave him a motivation he hadn’t felt before. Staring at the back of Even’s head, feeling him close and warm, heavy as the air around them felt, reminded Isak that it wasn’t over yet.

The surprise came when his phone began to buzz. Isak’s brows raised as he looked down at the device, sparing a glance at Even before pushing himself out of bed.

“Hi,” he answered quietly, already knowing who it was. Somehow he didn’t feel as nervous as he had the other times she had reached out to him.

“Hi,” Sonja responded.

There was a quiet pause on both ends. Isak felt the need to explain himself, eyes falling to the hardwood floor.

“I don’t have…the number for his parents, so…” He didn’t need to finish his sentence.

“Yeah.” She was short, but seemed to feel it was better to follow up. “No, but they know he’s with you. He’s sent them a text.”

That came as a surprise as well. He told his parents? When? It did show that his assumption was right, that Sonja would have been in contact with them regardless.

“Okay.”

Silence again. Isak licked his lips. Though his intent had just been to make sure Isak’s parents wouldn’t be worried, there were other things on the tip of his tongue. Things mixed in confusion, things that might have been anger before but have ebbed since then. Isak Valtersen knew how to be petty, yet all the urge had died for the moment.

“Um—“ She began on the other end. Isak stayed quiet. “I just called to say…that I’m sorry for the other night.”

“Oh.” She…what?

“Um…” That was something he hadn’t expected at all. She had every right to be upset, right? It was easy for him to be upset at himself sometimes as well, but honestly, Isak just felt exhausted. Would he have wanted an apology from her otherwise? Maybe. But with one presented to him, he wasn’t sure if that made things better or not. His lips hung open dumbly for a moment before he shook his head, waving it off.

“It’s okay.”

Her apology didn’t feel like a victory at all. She wasn’t still a rival for Even’s affections, was she? No, she just…

“No, but I didn’t mean to get angry with you. It wasn’t your fault. At all.”

_It wasn’t your fault. At all._

Isak swallowed. No, she was just someone else that had been scared for Even too.

“Yeah, but…well, you…you were worried, probably. So I understand.”

“Mmm…” A thoughtful hum on her end. “And it’s not your fault that Even is depressed. He’s bipolar and…”

And this was just what happens afterwards, right? That’s what she meant, wasn’t it?

“Well, it’s not your fault.”

_It’s not your fault._

“Okay?”

“Okay,” he agreed almost silently.

“Okay.” She sighed. “Good,” and seemed to be ready to end the call, but Isak interjected,

“But…” But? “Should I get him to his parents or something?” For all the research he’d done online, for the bits of wisdom that Magnus had shared with him, Isak was still horribly new to all of this. And with Even in his bed, Isak felt not necessarily a sense of responsibility, but a desire to do what it was that he needed. He’d taken care of his mother at times, but it hadn’t been like this. And this was different. Even wasn’t his mother.

_Only you can feel what you feel,_ he’d told Even once, agreeing with him when Even had been explaining why things were so difficult with Sonja. And yet, there was, asking for the next step. He wasn’t sure if he actually wanted it or he just wanted to hear what she would say. Whether he liked it or not, Sonja was more experienced with this, and a large part of him worried that when Even woke up Isak wouldn’t be able to help him how he needed.

What was it that he needed?

“I—“ She almost stuttered, which seemed to be wholly unlike her for their few interactions. “I actually think it’s good for him to be with you.”

What?

“Hm.” Another thoughtful hum.

Isak was dumbfounded.

Good for Even to be with him? This was coming from the woman who, arguably in no small part due to her own hurt, had told Isak to stay away from Even. The world was turning in such strange ways that Isak wasn’t sure how to respond.

“Okay,” Sonja started again to end the conversation. Yet once again, Isak stumbled in another question.

“Okay, um—“ Silence fell as she waited. “Is there anything I can do? For him?”

When she spoke again, her own voice sounded much quieter. “No, not really. You just need to…you just need to be there for him. And when everything seems hopeless, you just take one day at a time. And if one day becomes too much, then just take one hour at a time. And if one hour gets too much, you just take one minute at a time.”

She didn’t try to end the call at his silence that time. The words took their time to sink in for the both of them. Was this how Sonja had weathered through Even’s manic and depressive episodes before? One minute at a time?

Finally, Isak breathed out into the receiver, “Okay. I can do that.”

A short pause, and then, “Okay.”

“Thanks.”

“Mhm.”

That was the last time they spoke.

Until now.


	2. Eleven After Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isak runs into someone he wasn't expecting to see.

To his credit, he hadn’t exactly planned this meeting either. In fact, the subject of Sonja hadn’t come up in the past couple of months.

It was 2017 as February was giving way to March. The days were still short, the nights still long and cold, but Even’s presence made the winter feel more like spring every day. It had taken Even a couple of weeks to come back to fully functional, finding a new balance between school, family, and social obligations. Isak had been with him every step of the way, never far out of reach any time Even might have needed him there.

Day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute.

Not all days are perfect, not all hours go smoothly, but every minute counts as much as the next. And they’ve been doing okay. There was and continues to be some uncertainty at the edges of their relationship, but with each minute they smooth them out just a little more. And that was really all they could ask of each other.

When asked if he has been happy, Isak can say without hesitation that he is.

It happened after school on a crisp Thursday afternoon. Even had an assignment due the next day, so the two were foregoing their usual post-school routine in the pursuit of, you know, graduating. Isak figured that he should probably use the time to study more on his own as well.

But first, food. As per usual Isak hadn’t been so much grocery shopping as scrounging up what he could find and snacking. He figured it would be worth it to bring a hot meal home if he was going to concentrate. There was a 7-Eleven on Frognerveien, about a five-minute walk from Nissen. (He could have hit Frogner supermarket, but the moral obligation to buy something like vegetables was too much. Vegetables that would sit there unused unless Noora took pity on them.)

As he turned the corner—the red, green, and orange stripes of the 7-Eleven logo looking out of place on the older building—he felt his phone buzz in his pocket.

 

> ** Even <3 **
> 
> _:( :( :(_
> 
> _Already?_
> 
> _I come to you for sympathy and I don’t think I'm reading_  
>  _any in that text. How could my boyfriend be so callous?_
> 
> _You’ve been at study for literally 20 mins_
> 
> _Literally 23 minutes_
> 
> _Oh my god_
> 
> _Trigonometry just doesn’t capture my attention like you do_
> 
> _Are you seriously flirting with me through math?_  
>  _And what happened to your study partners._
> 
> _Trigonometry just doesn’t capture my attention like you do_
> 
> _You’re ridiculous_
> 
> _Give me something to look forward to? :*_
> 
> _I could snap you a pic of my dinner_
> 
> _Now that’s just cruel. What are we having?_
> 
> _Pølser [1]_
> 
> _Isn’t that what I gave you last night?_
> 
> _I’m hanging up_
> 
> _We’re texting, Isak_
> 
> _Blocked._
> 
> _:) what kind?_
> 
> _7-11_
> 
> _Oh we’re fancy. What’s the occasion?_
> 
> _An empty cabinet and zero motivation. I don’t_  
>  _want to go grocery shopping yet_
> 
> _Is that your way of asking me to come with_  
>  _you later?_
> 
> _No. but if you’re offering. And anyway you should_  
>  _be studyingjoi_

So entranced with his texting, Isak made the mistake of loitering right in front of the doors of the 7-Eleven. The grin he had been wearing, beaming down at the screen, broke as the door swung open and smacked his shoulder, knocking him momentarily off balance.

“Oh, sorry—“ A woman began to apologize. He muttered _shit_ under his breath as he found his footing, turning on the pavement to see.

“…Sonja?”

It was most definitely her. Shoulder-length blonde hair tucked behind her ears, unfairly smooth skin, prominent cheekbones and with carefully manicured brows that were pinched together in confusion. At him? At him.

“Isak,” she breathed out, a plastic bag wearing the store’s logo on the front. She held the door open as she looked at him, a couple slipping behind her to enter the store. Both Sonja and Isak looked over her shoulder before she stepped to the side, letting the door fall properly shut.

Isak swallowed, wholly unprepared for this. The jovial teasing of his conversation with Even suddenly made him feel guilty. The pause between them was heavy, awkward. Sonja was the first to break it.

“I didn’t mean to hit you.”

“—It’s fine,” he said a little too quickly, gaze shifting to her face, then off to the side.

She smiled weakly in turn, giving a small nod. It was common courtesy.

How is he supposed to feel about seeing his boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend? It would be a lie if he said he hadn’t once thought about her. They hadn’t really spoken since Even’s episode. He’d send a text message or two to ask advice and she always responded, but that was it. It was simple, clinical even. That was how he wanted it.

Isak half-expected her just to leave it at that. Logically Isak knew that her breakup with Even wasn’t exactly about him, but he was a factor. He’d been with Even while they were still together. That was something he hadn’t thought about in weeks, but with her standing right in front of him, he had to wonder if having the guy who helped split them up in front of her wasn’t just as awkward as it was for him.

“Done with school?” she asked, conversational but a little stiff.

Isak nodded, lips hanging open for a minute. “Uh…yeah.” He shrugs. “Just grabbing something to eat.” A pause as he nods to her bag. “You too?”

Sonja looked down at the bag in her hand. “Mm, yes.”

Isak nodded again. Another silence fell between them.

“…Well—“ Just as Sonja begin, Isak interjected without really thinking,

“Thank you—!”

She stopped, brows raised in a silent question. Isak’s lips hung open again before he licked them nervously, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“—For…when I asked you back around Christmas and New Years. About…” Even. Saying his name aloud in front of her made him feel too guilt, so he let it hang in the air between them. “You didn’t have to, so…yeah. Thanks.”

Sonja took a moment to process it, a moment that felt a little too heavy and too long to Isak. But at the end of it, as she let her gaze drop, she nodded. As her eyes caught his again, he could almost see a smile in them even if it didn’t make its way too her lips.

“You’re welcome.”

That…felt good.

Weird, but good.

Isak nodded, some of the weight around them seeming to lift. He glanced towards the door, making his own intent to step inside the store.

“So—“

“—Actually.” Sonja interjected this time, albeit with less stumbling than Isak had managed. She had his attention, his expression a little guarded but curious. “If you’ve got a minute…”

An…invitation?

Mentally, Isak panicked. Texting her was one thing, they were concrete words on a screen that he could break apart and analyze. They were questions with answers that he could decipher. Did he need to prepare himself for something like this?

“Ah…” He drawled, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Actually, I’ve…got a lot of schoolwork tonight, so…”

No further explanation was needed. Sonja nodded quickly, the line of her mouth hardening a few degrees, though not exactly unfriendly.

“Of course.” She made a move to turn, but stopped, her expression unreadable. After a moment of contemplation, she caught his gaze once last time. “Some other time?”

“Y-Yeah. Sure.” Agreeing wouldn't hurt anything, right?

Sonja seemed to accept that. “Mm.” She gave another nod, and then was on her way, going the opposite direction that he had come. Isak watched her go, almost unaware of the buzzing sound in his pocket again. 

 

> ** Even <3 **
> 
> _Studyingjoi? Don’t get too technical on me here._
> 
> _Isak?_
> 
> _Hey are you ok?_
> 
> _Sorry. I was at the checkout._

Somehow ‘I just ran into your ex-girlfriend and it was really awkward’ didn’t seem like the right response. They hadn’t really talked about Sonja. How would Even feel?

Isak stepped into the 7-Eleven, not feeling as hungry as he was initially, but he had already made the trip, so he might as well.

 

> ** Even <3 **
> 
> _Where’s my picture?_
> 
> _You’re distracted enough by sausages. You need to study._
> 
> _Don’t you mean studyingjoi?_
> 
> _B l o c k e d_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] lit. a sausage. Go look at the 7-eleven website for Norway and you'll see that they're on special! Only 25 k. And there is one that is literally wrapped in bacon.
> 
> But, hey! They finally meet again, albeit quickly. The hardest part of this was actually the text conversation, I'm not sure if I have a decent grasp of Even's voice, but hopefully with practice I will improve. "Even <3" is supposed to be how Even's contact is named in Isak's phone, if that looked strange.
> 
> Obviously we can't just leave it at that. Sonja wants to talk to Isak, but what about?
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	3. It's What's For Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isak stresses about his rather uneventful run-in with Sonja, but luckily he gets some good advice.

It had been three days since his accidental encounter. He hadn’t mentioned it to Even or anyone, really—avoidance was an easy habit to fall back into, even if Isak was trying to make better strides. Still, for as well as things were going with he and Even, inviting anything in that could shake the boat in such a way didn’t seem worth it. They were happy as they were right then and that was what mattered.

Right?

Okay, so just because he hadn’t said anything didn’t mean Isak hadn’t been thinking about it. Just like avoiding taking action, Isak was also the master of dwelling. He looked down at his phone, scrolling through his most recent messages. Even was actually second, his top conversation was one with the Boys, as they were known, debating how to spend Friday night. Kollektivet was next, followed by Vilde, Sana, and private chat with Jonas, and his mother. Scrolling past those and a number of others, his thumb hovered over a name.

Sonja. No last name, no modifiers. Just Sonja.

After a moment, he clicked on it.

The date of the last message was December 16th at 18:22.

Had it really been that long?

“Who is it?”

Isak practically jumped in his seat, his heart nearly going with it, Even’s voice suddenly closed to his ear. His boyfriend plopped down next to him on his bed as Isak quickly tapped out of iMessage.

“Nothing. No one.”

Even settled back against the wall, raising both his brows in that knowing fashion. Isak frowned and shrugged, licking his lips nervously.

“Isak.”

“What?”

“Do we need to go over how you’re literally the worst liar?”

Isak scoffed, shoving Even’s shoulder with his own. He tried to act cool, keeping his phone resting on his chest as he slouched slightly. There wasn’t anything incriminating on the screen, after all. So why did he feel the need to hide it?

“I’m not lying. I was just scrolling through old messages and stuff.” Technically true.

A pause hung between them, Even looking unconvinced.

“Okay…”

Isak sighed. He wanted more, huh?

“Why does that matter? I like to clean out my chat sometimes.”

“It doesn’t,” Even said as he rearranged himself, turning slightly on his side to face Isak. “You just got all jumpy.”

“Well, yeah, you scared me,” Isak said defensively as he leaned forward to grab his laptop. Even tilted his head to the side, watching Isak bring up his login screen and sign into streaming.

“I scared you.”

“Yeah.” Isak paused, looking his boyfriend up and down. “You came out of no where.”

Even chuckled at that. “You mean from your door?”

“It’s dark in here.”

“Are you scared of the dark now, Isak?”

“When there are 193 centimeter trees lurking around, yes.”

Even right out laughed that time, his eyes crinkling at the edges. Isak couldn’t help but grin in response, glancing at the other boy before turning his attention back to the computer. A more comfortable quiet fell on them. As Isak queued up the show, Even reached out to brush his thumb tenderly along Isak’s cheekbone.

“If something’s bothering you…”

Isak sighed over the pang of guilt in his chest. He leaned into Even’s hand, letting his boyfriend caress his face for a quiet moment, before titling his head up to receive a kiss. Then another. He sighed again through his nose.

“Nothing’s wrong.” Technically not a lie. Nothing was wrong. There was nothing he should be ashamed about. “Just don’t start talking about the cinematography in the middle of the episode.”

Even’s mouth hung agape as he dropped his hand to his chest, looking rightfully accused. “Me? Talk over a movie? It’s like you don’t even now me, Isak.”

“It’s not a _movie,_ ” Isak corrected as he turned back to the screen, hitting PLAY on the first episode. “It’s a _documentary._ And it’s Neil deGrasse Tyson, so paying attention is mandatory.”

“Mm,” Even hummed, trying to sound impressed. He squeezed his arm between Isak’s back and the pillow, allowing his left hand to rest at his boyfriend’s hip. Isak settled to rest more fully against Even’s shoulder.

“You know that _Cosmos_ was originally hosted by Carl Sagan.”

Isak rolled his eyes, shooting his boyfriend a look that could only be described as ‘I can’t believe you just said that.’

“What?”

“Of _course_ , I know that, Even. Carl Sagan is like the pioneer of…of making astrophysics accessible to the masses.”

“Well, you didn’t know Nas.”

Isak jabbed Even (playfully) with his elbow. “Carl Sagan isn’t the same as Nas! He’s…he’s more like…I don’t know. Tupac.”

Even threw his head back in laughter at that. “My boyfriend is such a nerd!”

Isak felt his heart warm two times over. He would never get tired of that face Even makes when he laughs, like there isn’t enough room to contain it all. His full lips pull back to reveal all his teeth, the smile reaching all the way up to his eyes in a way that no one else could mimic. A true Even laugh was worth any amount of teasing.

He would also never get tired of hearing Even call him his boyfriend.

“Just shut up and watch! Maybe you’ll learn something.”

 

 

●●●

 

Two more days went by without incident. He never got a text or a call from Sonja, he didn’t just happen to run into her on the street again. It wasn’t so much that he thought he would, but if it happened once it could happen again, right? And it wasn’t like he was afraid to see her again or anything. No way. He just didn’t have anything to say to her.

So why was he so worried about it?

Of course, he knew the ball was in his court. She clearly had something to say to him. Did he want to hear it?

Isak sighed as he slumped forward, his chair dragging audibly on the floor. He looked rather ungainly as he pulled his hood up over his head and rested his cheek in the palm of his hand. Closing his eyes for a minute wouldn’t really help sort out his thoughts, but he didn’t really want to look at anything, either.

He heard footsteps all around him, but one pair in particular was drawing closer. When they came to stop in front of him, Isak sighed again and peeled his eyes open.

“It’s only 10:30 and you’re already asleep? That’s rough, man.”

Madhi slid into the seat across from Isak, who felt obligated to straighten at least a bit in front of his friend. But as Madhi put his snack on the table, he paused with his backpack hanging off one shoulder, staring at Isak.

Isak straightened further, brows furrowing. “What?”

“It’s not Even, is it?” he asked pointedly, raising one brow as he looked his friend over.

Isak’s confused frown only deepened, his nose scrunching up as he pulled into himself. “What? What’s not Even?”

Madhi let his bag finally drop to the floor. “Well, first of all you’ve got your straw in the ketchup bottle instead of your drink…”

Isak’s brows shot to his hairline as he looked at the table. He—yeah, he certainly did. Cringing Isak pulled the straw out, wiping it off on a nearby napkin. It—no, it was definitely a moot point.

“…Lost cause.”

“Yeah,” Isak sighed, wrapping the napkin around it.

Madhi gave him the courtesy of a moment to pull himself together as he unwrapped his own mid-morning snack, some sort of pastry. After he took a bite and Isak continued to occupy himself with his own breakfast fiasco, he finally prodded,

“So what is it?”

Isak exhaled through his nose, eyes dropping to the table. It really shouldn’t have been bothering him as much as it was. It wasn’t like he had done anything wrong. He ran into Sonja, she seemed like she wanted to talk. But why was he so reluctant to do it, let alone tell anyone about it?

He hadn’t told Even—that was the one he was most afraid of. What if Even didn’t want to talk about Sonja? Jonas would be the next logical choice, but he figured Jonas might tell him he should talk about it with Even, which he didn’t want to do just yet. Maybe it wasn’t worth bringing up.

But there was Madhi, sitting patiently but expectantly across from him. All his friends were blessedly supportive of his relationship with Even, but Jonas was arguably the most invested in Isak and Magnus basically had a boy-crush on Even. Would that make Madhi the most neutral party?

Isak glanced at his friend, let his gaze drop again as he licked his lips, but eventually found it in himself to keep eye contact.

“I ran into Sonja the other day…” he started quietly.

Madhi’s eyes widened a little, but he waited. “Okay.”

Isak shrugged, scratching the cuff of his ear. “That’s…that’s it.”

Madhi looked confused. “Okay?” He took another bite of his breakfast as he waited for more. When none came, “If nothing happened, why are you drinking ketchup?”

Isak let out a huff of a laugh, shoving his forsaken napkin to the side. Sorry little buddy.

“It’s just…she wanted to talk and I kind of blew her off.”

“What about?”

Isak shrugged again. “I don’t know.”

“Then why are you stressing, man?” Isak looked up again as Madhi finished off his pastry. “If you don’t know what she wanted to talk about you don’t know if it’s anything to worry about. And you’re obviously stressing.”

“Yeah, but…” Isak let his voice trail off. He knew that, logically…

“What does Even think?”

Isak’s lips formed a thin line.

“Ah…” Madhi nodded in understanding as he crumpled the paper wrapper into a ball. “Well…that’s up to you, man. But if all she said was she wanted to talk and that’s it, maybe you should find out about what before you start making more crappy culinary decisions?”

The other boy shook his head with a quiet laugh, sending his friend a lopsided grin. “You’re full of wisdom this morning.”

Madhi clapped his hands and leaned back in his seat. “I’m full of wisdom every morning. You’re just not awake enough to notice it.”

 

 

●●●

 

Isak looked at his phone. He was waiting for the bus after school, his conversation with Madhi that morning still repeating in the back of his head. He had a point, after all—what could Isak worry about if he had no idea what she wanted? Maybe if he did know, he could tell Even and then feel less guilty about running into his ex.

He glanced at the time on his phone. He still had about seven minutes before the next bus would arrive.

 

> **Sonja**
> 
> _Hey. Sorry about the other day. You wanted to talk?_

There.

The deed was done. That was good, right? Neutral.

Isak closed the screen to his phone and shoved it into his pocket. He wasn’t sure if he felt good, but he didn’t feel particularly bad either. His phone, however, was burning a hole through his hoodie. He kept anticipating a buss or a chime. None came.

Isak got on the bus and went home.

He did some homework, he ate cereal for dinner until Noora saw how pathetic it looked and offered to cook something for him too. Which of course meant Eskild showed up at the right moment, and Linn was invited by default.

At 18:22 his phone buzzed. The universe certainly had a way of being ironic.

 

> **Sonja**
> 
> _Hi. It’s ok. Yes, I do._

Okay, don’t overthink this, Isak. (Overthinking was another thing he was the master of.) Biting his bottom lip, he typed away at his phone, waiting nervously for each response.

 

> _Cool. What about?_
> 
> _I’d rather talk in person. Do you  
>  have time later this week?_

Shit. In person? Something that she had to talk to him about in person? That totally ruined is plan of information gathering and then coming clean to his boyfriend. Except there was nothing to come clean about. Blowing her off again seemed like it would get him nowhere, though.

 

> _Yeah._
> 
> _Friday after school. But I’m going to a pregame  
>  after so not a ton of time._

There. That was good. Give her constrained hours so he had a get out strategy. Her talk bubble appeared almost immediately.

 

> _That’s fine. KB on Parkveien around 16:00?_
> 
> _Yeah. Sure._
> 
> _Thanks, Isak. See you._
> 
> _Yeah, later._

He placed the phone face down on his bed.

Okay. That was, what, a ten, fifteen minute walk at most from school? He could make it on time. He hadn’t even decided on a pregame if they were going to have one at all, but Sonja didn’t need to know that. It gave him an out—that was most important.

She wanted to talk. In person. He closed out of her conversation and selected his last with Even.

He paused.

No…maybe. Maybe he should stick to at least one part of his original plan, see what she wanted first. After all, he didn’t need to bring Even into something if it would unnecessarily stress him out. He could basically, like, screen the potential encounter for him.

Yeah.

Yeah, for Even.

Not at all for Isak.

He glanced at the time. Less than twenty-four hours to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I actually really like writing out Even and Isak banter so I hope to include that in most chapters. They have such a fun dynamic to write! But I also had to include some of my favorite things to geek about. Since Isak is all about the multiverse theory I can only imagine he at least knows popular physicists like Neil deGrasse Tyson. If you haven't seen the new Cosmos series, you should totally watch it.
> 
> Also, Madhi is a character I feel like we rarely see one-on-one in most fic, so I definitely wanted to do that here. I want to know more about him!
> 
> Thank you everyone for your comments thus far! I really love the encouragement and feedback, it gives me a greater push to write!


	4. God jul til dere også

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isak texts Sonja in December and finds out more than he thought he would about the end of Even and Sonja's relationship.

> _Hey Sonja. I just wanted to say thanks for  
>  your advice and stuff and merry christmas_
> 
> _Merry christmas to you two as well_

‘To you _two_ ’, she wrote. Isak looked up from his phone to the end of his bed, where Even was currently sitting, the controller to the PS4 in his hands. Though Isak was more attached to his sports simulation games, he did have a handful of other titles he collected over the years. Even was having another go at Dark Souls III, a game that struck Isak as an odd choice, but Even seemed to take some delight in designing a ridiculous protagonist to run around in the zombie-filled landscape.

He named his creation Julian and said that his quest not only symbolized the struggle of attaining ones ultimate goals, but also made one ponder what really defines humanity. Isak had replied that [blueberries in pink wigs](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4-ItXUz_C88/maxresdefault.jpg) don’t count as human.

Even had said that was exactly the kind of prejudice the world still needed to overcome.

Isak watched his boyfriend for a quiet moment as he took on some armored foe that Isak never really cared to learn much about. His mind wasn’t really on the game, anyway. Even though Isak had been the one texting Sonja, her well wishes were clearly intended for Even as well.

Isak cleared this throat. “Hey.”

Even gave a quick nod of his head, not wanting to take his eyes away from the television mid-battle. “Do you see this?”

“Mm?” Isak raised his brow as he scooted forward a bit. The television screen was already fairly dark, but he could make out some sort of charcoal, blobbish figure that Even was attempting to hack. “…Are you fighting sludge?”

“It’s officially called ‘Man Grub’. Who comes up with this?” There was a jovial tone to Even’s voice as he defeated the foe and started to look for the nearest campfire to heal.

“That’s disgusting.”

“I know, right?” Even flashed Isak a grin over his shoulder before his attention focused back on the game. Isak let silence fall between them again as he glanced at his phone, the screen now dark that he locked it again.

“Sonja says ‘Merry Christmas’,” he finally ventured.

Even didn’t say anything. Isak watched his back, waiting for some sort of reaction. Instead, Even just kept playing, pulling up an inventory screen and flipping through various categories. Was the game too loud?

“Even—“

“I heard you,” Even said flatly, nearly cutting Isak off. He wasn’t usually a snappy sort of person and Isak knew that Even wasn’t back up to full power just yet, but the past couple of days had been bearable. Irritable Even, as far as he could tell, didn’t come hand in hand with depressed Even.

“Okay?” was all Isak could think to respond with.

He heard Even sigh, though he could see Even’s shoulders straighten a little too tightly. “What do you want me to say?” He still didn’t turn around.

“I don’t know.”

“Okay.”

“Okay…”

Silence fell again.

It wasn’t comfortable. Even continued to play and Isak continued to watch, neither addressing the new heavy air that had settled between them. He had been frustrated as he described Sonja in the past, but it had never seemed like he was unwilling to talk about her. Wanting something different, feeling controlled—those were things that Isak understood about their relationship. Why was he suddenly dismissive? After everything that had happened…

Isak swung his legs over the side of bed. The movement caused the mattress to shift, but Even didn’t budge. He could just waive it all off and comment on the game, or maybe offer to grab them both something to eat, but he was bothered. He had relied on Sonja to help him figure out how he’s supposed to do this, though he’s tried to be cognizant of Even’s desire for autonomy at the same time. Thus far it had seemed to be working.

With a quiet sigh of his own, Isak scooted around the perimeter of the bed to sit next to Even on the end. Even’s face stayed trained on the screen, so Isak studied his profile for a moment.

He knows not to ask ‘what’s wrong’, or at least he feels like it’s not the best way to approach things. It implies that something _is_ wrong, when maybe he just isn’t understanding Even’s headspace.

“What are you thinking?” he asks instead. That was enough to get Even to pause in his virtual quest, sparing Isak a glance as his lips hung open for a moment. He looked as if he was forming another rebuttal, his brows furrowing together, but instead Even’s gaze fell to the controller.

“I don’t want to talk.”

It was a sting to his heart. Isak knew that he was still learning, testing the waters in how to handle things, but could he be too careful. “Okay…”

“I mean—“ Even started again, finally saving his current place in the game. “—I don’t want to talk to her.”

Oh. “You don’t have to.”

Even glanced at Isak again. “Neither do you.” There was a challenge in his voice, intended or otherwise, and it wasn’t exactly playful. Isak said nothing, so Even continued, waiting for the save to complete. “You don’t need to ask her for help.”

Isak raised his brows at that. Even knew? Well, Isak hadn’t necessarily made it a secret, since there didn’t seem anything wrong with it. She had originally been his way of getting in touch with Even’s parents and she was also the one who contacted him when Even had been found by the police. He hadn’t exactly been chatting with her on a regular basis, but when he had a question about Even, she always answered.

He suddenly felt guilty, even if he logically knew he shouldn’t.

“I know,” Isak finally said, shaking his head slightly as if it wasn’t a big deal. “I haven’t—“ Okay, that was a lie. “Not a lot.” Closer to the truth. “Just a couple of times.”

Even sighed, his game ready, but instead just rested the controller on his knees. “Isak,” he started seriously, head tilted in that way that Isak knew Even was going to explain something that should have been obvious to him, like that he wouldn’t just left Isak in bed naked and alone when he was cooking right outside. “She isn’t the authority on me. Or on anyone else who’s…got this.” He motioned to himself.

“No,” Isak shook his head again. “I know.” He didn’t want Even to worry, to think that he was already messing this up. He wasn’t, was he? “Only you know what’s going on with you.”

Even sighed again, reaching out to take one of Isak’s hands. “I know I don’t make things easy.” He carefully linked their fingers together, rubbing his thumb up and down the side of Isak’s index finger. “And I’m not asking you to take on the same role she had…I don’t _want_ that.”

Isak shook his head for the third time. “I don’t want that either.”

“Good,” Even said with a nod. “So there’s no reason to talk to her.”

“Even…” The finality in his boyfriend’s words was unlike him. Isak was quickly flipping through the mental files he kept on Even, on Sonja, trying to decipher where the final line between them was. “I know she’s…I know it’s complicated, but…I mean, I don’t want to make this awkward for you, so I won’t, I just…”

“What?”

He bit the inside of his cheek. Should he bring it up? It was a sensitive subject for everyone involved. “Is it about what happened that night…?”

Even took a moment to respond, the memories hanging on the edge for both of them.“…No. Isak, look. You can make your own decisions. Just—I think it’s better if you don’t talk to her.” The squeeze he offered was likely meant to be reassuring, so Isak returned it even if he was still uncertain.

“Why?”

Normally Even enjoyed Isak’s inquisitive nature, but then he just began to appear tired. “Because she’s not here to help you.”

It was Isak’s turn to pause. “What?”

“She’s not. She’s got her own agenda.”

Her own agenda? It reminded him of what Magnus had said before, that taking advice from Even’s ex was likely a bad idea. That was before he understood more of what was going on, though. That was before Sonja had apologized, too. He didn’t feel like she was someone necessarily worth defending—the only Sonja he knew was the one who stood between Even and him for the longest time—but something just felt off about all of this.

“I know what she said to you.”

Ah. There it was. Isak felt his stomach drop. He didn’t even need for Even to clarify and by the look on Even’s face, Isak knew there was a mutual understanding. He swallowed.

“Oh…well. Yeah. But she apologized. And I get it, I would’ve been upset too, so…” He let his voice trail off, hoping it didn't seem like a big deal. At the time it was one of the worst realizations to happen. His fear for Even’s safety only outweighed the heartbreak that he felt knowing that Even had felt nothing for him. He had truly been miserable.

Even’s gaze dropped to their hands, his jaw jutting to the side. Isak recognized the motion as Even battling with his thoughts. Had he said the wrong thing?

“Do you know what she said to me?” Even finally asked. He took Isak’s silence as a ‘no’. He looked up, catching Isak’s gaze as he continued his exploration of Isak’s hand. “You remember that night that I came by your place? Did you ever wonder why it didn’t take me long to get there?”

“…Yeah.” Admittedly, it had felt like forever to Isak, so his concept of time that night wasn't very reliable.

When Even smiled, it wasn’t kind. It was a little nostalgic, a little grim, but directed somewhere distant, far away from Isak. It just made him feel sad.

“It was because she’d said the same thing to me. She told me that I couldn’t tell my feelings apart, that it’s even more dangerous because I was obsessing over ‘an actual person’. That it was just a matter of time before I crashed. She told me she understood that I couldn’t see it, but that it was easy for her. _Easy_ for her to just categorize all my feelings and experiences into ‘legitimate’ and ‘illegitimate’. Like she had control over that.”

 _‘She’s always in control’_ , Isak remembered Even telling him before. Even had said it with audible distaste on his tongue, the same tone used here in a somewhat self-deprecating way.

“It wasn’t the first time she said that about you, too. She said that I should take your feelings into consideration because one day I’d wake up and you wouldn’t mean anything to me. How was that fair to you?”

Isak swallowed as Even laughed silently, turning his head up to look towards the far corner of the room. His hand had stilled, so Isak assumed the job of gently rubbing circles into the back of Even’s hand. These were Even’s memories, it was Isak’s turn to offer comfort as he listened.

“And you know what? I believed her. I totally believed her because it was easier to listen to her rationalize anything than to listen to my heart. Because that’s betrayed me before and she hadn’t. But then I realized that I couldn’t let it be easy. That it wasn’t just me who was messed up, but that this relationship had become something she needed too. She _needed_ to be there to make all my decisions for me, whether she realized it or not. And when she saw me doing things without her, it pissed her off. So she said things to make me doubt my feelings towards you, and she said them to you to doubt them too.”

There was no denying that what she said had done the job—Isak had doubted, and then fully believed that everything that had happened between them had been the whim of a mind on a high. Isak had always had trouble thinking that he deserved something nice, so it was easy to fall into that mindset.

“Don’t think that just because she’s got some good ideas that she isn’t capable of bad ideas too. We’re all selfish people. It’s way easier to hurt someone when you care about them.”

Even shook his head, locking eyes with Isak. His heart felt heavy.

“I got there so quickly that night because we’d argued about it for the last time. I was tired of her telling me that my feelings for you weren’t real and that I would come around eventually. I couldn’t _take_ it anymore. So we broke up again, officially, and I went on a walk to blow off some steam.”

Even exhaled a huff through his nose. “When I got your text I realized I’d already been walking towards your place.”

Isak raised his brows, silently asking _really?_ Even raised his brows in turn, not up to par with his normal flirtatiousness, but an equally quiet affirmation. Instead, he leaned forward, bumping his forehead with Isak’s. His voice was still on edge, but quieter.

“You think after four years she’s suddenly going to get over it that quickly? Hell, _I’m_ still getting used to it. But I’m not going to let her ruin what we have. Not anymore. And especially not through you.”

And that was that.

Isak never contacted Sonja again and they never spoke of it.

●●●

Isak looked at his phone for the nth time during his last period. He was only half-paying attention, but the jitters were starting to get to him. He was pretty sure that getting coffee after school would be a bad idea. Maybe he could cancel last minute?

No.

No, he needed to see this through. Even if he wasn’t sure if he wanted to.

When the bell ran, Isak found himself wishing class lasted just a little longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few of you were wondering why Isak was so UNSURE about talking to Sonja, so here's the backstory! The next chapter will be the actual meeting with Sonja, so stay tuned!
> 
> I actually had fun trying to see what people had come up with for disturbing character creations in Dark Souls. I'm definitely of the mindset that Even doesn't take video games seriously but I wanted to have him playing something that wasn't FIFA.
> 
> As always, I appreciate the comments and feedback you leave. Thank you for reading!


	5. KB or bust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every time he thought he heard the door open, he would look up. Once. Twice. Three times—not Sonja.
> 
> How long had it been?
> 
> Six minutes.
> 
> Okay, time to chill out.

It took him far less time than he planned on getting to Kaffebrenneriet. The walk itself normally only took ten minutes, but his nervous energy gave his feet wings. He made it in seven. It was just across the street from the Palace Park, past the roundabout and between Bjørungs and Cochs. Like much of the area, an older building repurposed to modern day shopping, creating a nice little corner nook for a café. A few sleek wood and steel chairs sat in by rounded steel tables in front of the shop. During the spring and summer months the door would remain open and inviting, but winter was still far from leaving.

They were almost getting a full ten hours of daylight this late in the month, but the mid afternoon sun was already threatening to dip behind the horizon. The sky was painted with reds and pinks, a sight that was very picturesque. Isak was in no mood to enjoy it, though.

He paced up and down the street for a minute, trying to decide if he should bail and say something came up. It would have been easier. Cowardly, perhaps, but easier. Isak almost turned away, almost, before he stopped himself on the edge of the sidewalk.

No. Old Isak would have lied, made up an excuse and ditched. Old Isak would have avoided this. But whether Old Isak would have wanted to acknowledge it or not, Sonja was still a major component in the beginnings of his and Even’s relationship. Ignoring her wouldn’t make her disappear.

He wasn’t Old Isak anymore, or he tried not to be. New Isak turned around and faced the café, mustering up a new sense of resolve.

Right. He’s got this.

He opened the door and stepped inside.

For a small space, the Kaffebrenneriet was remarkably open. High windows gave the illusion that the outside was a continuation of the in, and warm paint helped the place feel cozy. Wooden counters matched for the barista and for the customers on the opposite side of the room. Behind the main counter, coffee and teas were stocked to the ceiling in colorful paper bags. Specials and the most popular items were written on black chalkboards right behind the coffee machines.

It was entirely unassuming for the dread he knew he should probably get over. It also helped that as he scanned the café, he didn’t see Sonja. Which was fair, considering he was early, but he wasn’t sure how punctual she would be.

Okay. No, this was good. It gave him time to breathe and not make a complete ass of himself when he went up to the counter to order. Because clearly what he needed to calm his nerves was some caffeine.

Against his better judgment of trying something straight up to seem more adult, Isak put comfort over appearances and walked over to a small table in the back with his Espresso Macchiato. He took a sip and waited.

Waiting was the hardest part for mostly everything. Another sip and he realized he couldn’t just stare at the door. Instead, Isak pulled out his phone, quickly skimming through anything interesting on Facebook. He wasn’t really paying attention. Every time he thought he heard the door open, he would look up. Once. Twice. Three times—not Sonja.

How long had it been?

Six minutes.

Okay, time to chill out.

Isak took a slow breath through his nose, and an even longer exhale. He was psyching himself up. She was just a girl. Just Even’s ex. Just Isak’s _boyfriend’s_ ex. Isak had some exes and they weren’t on the best of terms, but somehow he figured Sonja wouldn’t have asked him out for coffee if she was just looking for an excuse to yell at him.

No. Snoop, maybe, but not yell.

And as if on cue, Isak looked up the moment the door opened to reveal a familiar head of blonde hair. He sat up immediately as Sonja’s eyes scanned from the counter to the back of the shop, finally settling on him sitting by himself. Though she didn’t immediately offer a smile, she gave a small nod of her head before she approached.

“Hello.” She greeted Isak properly as she put her purse in one of the empty seats.

Isak nodded in turn, shifting on his own chair. “Hey.”

“Did I keep you waiting?”

“Uh—“ Six whole minutes. “No. You’re fine.”

“Okay. Good.” A pause as she unraveled the scarf around her neck, placing it and her jacket on the chair as well. “I’m going to grab something. Do you mind?”

Isak shook his head. “No.”

“Thanks.”

To any onlooker, it must have looked simple. Two friends meeting up for coffee. Casual. It wasn’t like Isak had much experience with Sonja outside of Even. Really, the only time he was with her one-on-one in person before was after Even had been found by the police. She had been congenial enough the first time they met, though Isak had more than a few sour feelings about that meeting, given the afternoon he spent with Even to see him kissing someone else. The Halloween pregame was probably the worst impression possible. Isak didn’t like to think he was a terrible host, but he also felt tricked into that whole fiasco. He wasn’t normally that impulsive, either, but his desire to be alone with Even—and fuck the consequences—had been more than enough.

So, there he was. Sitting in a coffee shop with a woman he had honestly spoken to face to face a grand total of three times prior to his accidental run-in with her at the 7-Eleven. With one awkward phone call and a few scattered text conversations thrown in between. They didn’t even feel like they counted.

Sonja didn’t take very long, returning with what was clearly a cappuccino, held almost reverently. Isak subconsciously mirrored the motion, placing both hands on his cup as she sat down.

She took a sip, staring at Isak the whole time. His mouth felt dry, but he refrained from mimicking that motion as well.

“Thanks for meeting me,” she began with a small smile, one that didn’t fully reach her eyes.

“No problem,” he found himself saying rather quickly.

Sonja gave a small shrug and a nod. “I’m sure you’re busy with school.” Her tone was flat, but Isak wasn’t sure how to take it.

“…Yeah, well. It’s cool.”

“Mm.” She took another sip. Isak fidgeted.

“You wanted to talk?” Might as well get right to the point.

“Yes, I did.”

“…How are things?”

What?

She looked expectant.

“…Fine?” He knew that there was a lot more to that question than she would say out loud. Things weren’t just with him, she meant between Isak and Even, didn't she?

His hesitancy seemed to draw out her own, words hanging on her lips before she slowly replied with, “…That’s good.”

 Isak didn’t like that response. His nerves were certainly getting the better of him. He watched Sonja take another sip from her drink as his leg began to bounce impatiently underneath the table. She placed her cup down gingerly and Isak huffed.

“…Okay, no offense, but did you seriously ask me to meet you here after school to just ask ‘how’s it going’?”

To her credit, Sonja looked a little sheepish, which wasn’t an expression Isak was used to seeing from her. He frowned.

“I hadn’t heard from you since Christmas.”

Oh. “Well…” Okay, so it was like he expected—a check in. Still, her simple response kind of doused the flames of his anger fairly quickly. “I appreciate the help, but…you know.” Isak shrugged. “Things are fine.” He wasn’t entirely convinced either way. That would still be just as easy over a text.

“Even’s parents seem to think so,” she said simply.

Isak’s brows shot up. “ _Huh?_ ”

“Yeah, you heard right.” It almost sounded accusing, but she quickly reigned it back in and shook her head as she took another sip. “We still talk from time to time.” A pregnant pause.

Isak almost sputtered. “That’s--…”

“Stalkerish?”

Uh. “…Your words, not mine.”

Was that almost a smile on her lips? Isak’s frown deepened.

“I know. It’s weird,” she said, placing her paper cup back down on the table. “They’ve kind of become an extended family to me too, so…it’s hard to shove them off after I’ve known them for so long.”

Well, he guessed that was true. Sonja and Even had dated for four years, right? Four years was long, sure, but it still made him uncomfortable knowing that his boyfriend’s ex probably talked to his parents more than he did. Isak took a long drink from his cup, wishing, at least for a moment, there was more to it than coffee and sugar.

“They asked about you in the beginning.”

His brows shot up again, threatening his hairline.

“About me?” Wait. “They asked you?”

Somehow that made it feel infinitely worse.

Sonja seemed faintly amused by this. “Mhm.” Another sip before she set down her coffee. “I’ll admit, I probably wasn’t your biggest fan at first.”

Isak shifted uncomfortably in his seat, dropping his gaze to the wooden grain of the table. How could he blame her for that?

“I wasn’t your biggest fan either.”

She laughed.

Oh shit, had he said that out loud? Now it was his turn to look sheepish. He groaned internally. Sonja waved it off with a shake of her head.

“It’s fine. I think we both knew that.”

It’s fine? He’d been floored after their phone conversation originally when she’d apologized then waived off all the vitriol she’d thrown at him as unfounded. Had she just accepted it? Isak sucked in a breath as he brought his gaze to her face again, though this time Sonja was staring off at a sign on the back wall.

Isak swallowed.

“I stole your boyfriend.”

The room should have felt cold, freezing. Those were fighting words, laying down the line between them on the battlefield, except it was a battle he already won. Wasn’t it? Except he had felt more like the fight was with himself the whole time, but he couldn’t help shake the notion that he had come between them, no matter how Even spun it.

The sound she made was almost a scoff, but she wasn’t looking at him. She shook her head.

“…No, Isak. You didn’t.”

He sucked in a breath.

“I’m sure Even doesn’t think that way either.”

And held it.

He knew she was right, Even had definitely said so before, but to hear it from her was something else entirely. Sonja, this young woman that was ten times prettier than she ought to be. Someone invested in Even, someone more experienced and more deeply wound in his life and his family. This person, he felt sometimes could so easily unravel everything between them. At least that’s what Even seemed to be afraid of.

She wasn’t even fighting.

Had he been expecting a fight?

“Is that really what you believe?”

Isak realized that he had been silent for too long. Was that really what he believed? He shook his head, then paused. Okay. Maybe a little.

Sonja exhaled slowly and tapped her finger on the side of her cup for a moment. Then she continued.

“…I’m not going to pretend I wasn’t mad at you—I was. But it wasn’t your fault anymore than what happened to Even afterwards.” She shook her head again as she settled her gaze on him.

“Mm. I’m not sure what he’s told you, but we were on and off for the past year and a half of it all. I think we both knew that our relationship wasn’t going to last.”

Isak didn’t speak, but his questioning grumble seemed to be enough for her. She nodded.

“Mhm. Second to third year. It was rocky. And towards the end, Even had to take an extended leave from school, which meant he had to repeat. I graduated. We were at different parts in our lives for the first time. I think he felt that too.”

She shrugged, sparing most of the details, leaving blanks Isak found wanting filled in. “He was embarrassed. I thought I didn’t care, not for image or anything, but I knew that he was going to have an entirely new life that I wasn't a part of.”

A new life. That was the point of transferring to Nissen, right? To start over. Isak knew that conceptually, but he hadn’t really thought about what that might have meant for everyone else in Even’s life. He hadn’t really needed to—how Even was feeling was the most important.

“I was right,” she said a little wistfully. “But…that’s not a bad thing.”

_An entirely new life…but that’s not a bad thing._

Did she mean…?

“Like I said, his parents like you.”

…with him?

Isak just stared for a long moment, mouth slack and brows furrowed. Sonja raised one of her perfectly shaped brows as she finished off the end of her drink, setting the empty cup back down on the table.

“You look surprised by that.”

“Uh—“ The first sound he had made in minutes. “—well. Yeah, I—no. We did okay…”

Man, he felt so weird. The corners of her mouth quirked upwards in amusement.

“Just…” He fumbled for words. Sonja waited. “You…asked me to meet you for coffee to tell me I don’t suck?” That sounded…okay, that still sounded horribly ineloquent in his head, but he had no idea how to put it.

She looked taken back a bit, torn between laughing and huffing. “…Not exactly.” Isak fumbled with the lid to his cup as she spoke. “I’m not going to pretend I don’t want to hear how Even’s doing, since I know his parents aren’t going to be as…forthcoming as they’ve been in the past, but…”

It was her turn to shrug. “I guess…it’s just strange to think that it’s not really my business anymore.”

No. It wasn’t. It was his business now.

Isak…felt a sudden surge of pride in that. Hearing Sonja say that, say all of this, he felt as if the baton was being passed to him for the next leg of the race.

Was that…really what this was about?

“He’s…” Isak began, licking his lips as he straightened in his seat. Really, he owed her nothing, right? She still had Even’s parents to snoop if she wanted. What was the point of asking Isak? “He’s good.”

Sonja studied him for a moment, really studied him. Her eyes darted back and forth as she scanned his face and for the first time, Isak didn’t feel intimidated. Even had been up and he’d been down, but the past couple of weeks he had been fairly level. Consistent. Whatever she was looking for she seemed to find, because she nodded.

“That’s nice to hear.”

Yeah. It felt good to say, too.

Only Even could be the authority on Even. But it still felt nice. This felt right. Strangely right.

When Isak got back to the apartment that evening, the weight on his shoulders had lifted. Isak was Even’s boyfriend. Even was Isak’s boyfriend. Even’s parents liked him.

Sonja couldn’t break them up. She just couldn’t. Not anymore.

Even was already there, sitting on the couch with Linn as she flipped through channels. Even’s smile turned on immediately at the sight of Isak, only to be immediately followed by a curious brow raise.

“Hey, baby,” he said as Isak came to sit on the arm of the couch.

“Hey.” Isak smiled as he and Even exchanged a few quick pecks on the lips.

Even’s hand came to rest on the small of Isak’s back, rubbing him through his jacket. “You’re in a good mood.”

He could feel caught, but he didn’t. Instead, he just raised a brow in turn with a hum. “Hm?”

“Mmmhmmm,” Even hummed in return. Isak leaned down for another kiss. Even smiled into it, letting his hand trial lower to rest on Isak’s bum. “You’re cute today,” he breathed as they pulled back.

“Better make good use of it.”

“Not in the living room.” Linn’s timing was impeccable.

They didn’t in the living room, at Linn’s request. That’s what locked doors are for, after all. And Isak was smiling into Saturday morning.

He didn’t see the message on his phone until later that afternoon.

> ** Sonja **
> 
> _Thanks. For meeting me. We should do that again sometime._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, my friends! I started this a while ago and then RL caught up with me, but it's finally here! The meeting between Isak and Sonja. Did it go as you expected? :) Please let me know what you think!
> 
> Obviously, it's not over yet.


	6. One missed call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isak is feeling pretty good after his meeting with Sonja the other day, but when she texts him during class, Isak starts to feel guilty all over again.

The following weeks were blessedly uneventful. School was only as intrusive as Isak would let it, though Even was making a special effort to stay on top of his classes against some of his own wishes. With a project looming overhead, he spent fewer nights during the week with the Kollektiv. Isak would be lying if he said he didn’t miss the warmth pooled on the left side of his bed that he had grown so used to. But he didn’t want to come off as clingy, either.

He could be a supportive and independent boyfriend. In fact, it was very important to him to be That Good. His chat with Sonja had solidified that to him. It even put a little pep in his step when he had been over at Even’s for dinner with his parents a few days prior.

Really, Isak’s mood was as good as it had ever been. It was hard not to notice.

“What is _this?_ ” A dramatic gasp came from around the corner.

Isak rolled his eyes, already knowing what was going to come next.

Eskild stood in the doorway to the kitchen, mouth agape and brows raised in surprise. He didn’t bother to hide the curl of his lips.

“The troll has ventured out of his cave _before_ 8 o’clock? Who are you and what have you done with Isak?”

If eye rolls made noises, Isak could wake up the rest of the neighbor with his repeat performance. He knocked the edge of the cereal box on his bowl to drop a few extra pieces into the mix.

“It’s _too_ early for this,” he grumbled, haphazardly shoving the plastic bag back inside of the box. He didn’t bother to close it.

“Oh, nope, there he is.” Eskild popped his lips as he stepped further into the kitchen. “Whew! I was worried for a moment.”

Isak made a move to put the box back into the cupboard, but Eskild plucked it from his tired grasp.

“Hey, that’s mine.”

“Actually, I paid for your groceries this week, so technically it’s mine and I’m must magnanimous enough to give you another loan.”

“…Okay, whatever.”

A gasp. “No argument? Isak, I may take back my previous statement.”

“Ugh.”

“You _are_ up early. Is Even coming over this morning?”

“No. I’m meeting him at school.”

“Mm,” he hummed thoughtfully, tapping the cereal box idly on the counter. “Trouble sleeping?”

Isak shook his head. “No. I’m fine, seriously.” He shrugged, munching audibly. “I just don’t wanna be late for school.”

“You can’t blame me for being worried. Vampires generally don’t do well with sunrise.”

“I thought I was a troll?”

“Yes! A cave-dwelling vampire troll who occasionally graces us with his presence. I think Prince Charming may have to give you a few more kisses before you finally return to your human form.”

“ _Ugh_.”

●●●

He did see Even at school and it was almost as good as a cup of coffee to really wake him up. But other than their short meeting before class, he’d been largely without his boyfriend. Their lunches didn’t line up that day so it was just Isak and Magnus picking away at what was pretending to parade as a decent meal. Laid-back and uneventful--Isak could honestly use a few more days like that.

At least until he had about thirty minutes left in his last class of the day. His phone, sitting in the right pocket of his hoodie, vibrated once. He raised his brows, glancing to his left. The guy sitting next to him looks about as interested in Isak as he is in the English lecture happening at the front of the room, so Isak dared to sneak a glance at the screen as he pulled it from his pocket. He had been hoping for a random but welcome text from Even, but…

The name that came up on his message preview wasn’t exactly who he expected.

> **Sonja (14:59)**
> 
> _Hey, Isak. I know the last time we spoke was a little unexpected, but…_

But…but what? Isak swallowed.

Honestly, he had been feeling fairly good about everything. His little ego boost had been more than enough to make him feel more positive than ever about where he and Even stood, despite the fact that it had stemmed from a conversation with Even’s ex. The “but” hangs on the end of the preview and Isak knew that he couldn’t just sit through class without knowing the rest.

One more glance was spared to the front of the room before he pulled his phone out completely. He kept it below the rim of the desk as she swiped to the side and opened up his messages.

> **Sonja (14:49)**
> 
> _Hey, Isak. I know the last time we spoke was a little unexpected, but this is a little less random. I got a message from Dr._ _Østrem. Are you seeing Even today?_

Wait, what?

Isak frowned, his heartbeat picking up pace quickly. He and Even hadn’t made explicit plans with how focused Even has been, but Isak suddenly feels like he’s been slacking off on his boyfriend dut—

No. No. He couldn’t think like that. Space between them was good for the both of them every now and then. But why is Sonja getting calls from a doctor?

Isak quickly shot out a reply.

> **Isak (14:52)**
> 
> _Why are you talking to his doctor?_

He was on the defensive as he was back at the start of their relationship—relationship…as if he and Sonja actually had one to begin with. They didn’t. They had a mutual interest and their last conversation had been okay, but he couldn’t let that get to him. No. Be straight up, like Jonas had told him to be with Even.

The bubbles appeared on his phone almost immediately afterwards. Isak shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

Did she always type that slowly??

> **Sonja (14:54)**
> 
> _He hasn’t answered her calls and I think I’m still listed as one of his emergency contacts. Sorry._

Oh.

Wait, emergency? What emergency? Even had seemed just fine this morning.

> **Isak (14:54)**
> 
> _Ok. I saw Even this morning. Who is Dr._ _Østrem?_
> 
> **Sonja (14:55)**
> 
> _She’s his behavioral therapist. He hasn’t told you about her?_

Therapist. Isak knew that Even had one that he got his prescriptions from, though of course Even hadn’t gone into much detail and Isak hadn’t pushed the issue. Except Isak knew that he only saw that one once a month to check in on how his medications were going and if he was taking them, something Isak had really, really tried to remain as neutral as possible on. It wasn’t easy.

> **Sonja (14:56)**
> 
> _If you’re asking, I guess that’s already the answer._
> 
> _Well, if you see him later today you should tell him to call her. It sounds like he didn’t show up for his appointment yesterday._

Oh shit.

That wasn’t good. Even shouldn’t be skipping, he knew that. So why would Even skip if things seemed like they were going okay? It made him fidget. He was about to begin his reply with the guy next to him cleared his throat, causing Isak to look up just in time to see the teacher start to walk down the aisle between the desks.

Isak quickly shoved his phone back into his hoodie and gave his classmate a thankful nod.

He couldn't reply for the rest of class. The most grueling twenty some minutes of his life.

He kept mulling over what Sonja had said. He hadn’t shown up to his appointment with his behavioral therapist. Isak had done his fair share of research in the past few weeks on what potential treatments Even might have and might be undergoing, but he never pushed for more than what Even was freely willing to share. Even’s parents had also told Isak that if he ever had any questions, that they were always available to answer them, but Isak wanted to hear it from Even.

He knew the basics: Even had Bipolar I, which had only been diagnosed about six months prior to the incident at Bakka. Bipolar I was the classic form of the disorder, which meant at least one or more manic of mixed episode (he wasn’t entirely sure what mixed would look like) accompanied by at episodes of depression. Though mania was often followed by a depressive episode, they weren’t exactly set in a pattern and it could come up days to several months later. In Even’s case they were often close together, though he had experienced episodes in the past that seemed independent of one another. He knew that Cognitive Behavior Therapy in congruence with mood stabilizing medication was the standard treatment.

What he didn’t know is that Even might be doing one without the other. Or how much of this was Isak’s business. That line that had been pre-established was such a dangerous one to cross. It read “Sonja” with a big “Don’t” underneath it. But to just do the opposite of Sonja wasn’t exactly helpful, either. Isak was quickly learning the world wasn’t an easy black and white, but a mess of greys.

Did that mean he should tell Even to talk to his therapist? One that Even hadn’t even told him about?

Or, was this the same person he saw once a month? Isak had a feeling that was a man, but he wasn’t sure. And he sure as hell couldn’t just walk up to his boyfriend and ask.

The bell couldn’t ring fast enough.

As soon as it hit, his classmates were up in their seats, but Isak immediately pulled his phone back out. _You should tell him to call her,_ she’d written. No new messages after that. Isak exhaled sharply through his nose, his previous conversations with Even now ringing clear in his mind.

_She wants to control you._

_Control me? How would she control me?_

_Because she doesn’t like people who live freely and are real._

No, he wouldn’t handle this like Sonja did.

> **Isak (15:15)**
> 
> _I’m not going to tell him what he should and shouldn’t do._

He hit send and, for a moment, felt powerful. He hadn’t been like Sonja thus far and he wasn’t going to start to dictate Even’s life either. He could be concerned, but not overbearing. That was the balance, right?

She didn’t reply. Not right away.

He sat for two minutes expecting to see bubbles. Nothing.

Had he made his point? Well, good.

So why didn’t it feel good?

He sat for another minute before putting his phone away. Stood up, slung his bag over his shoulder.

Was…that really telling Even what to do?

Ugh.

> **Isak (15:18)**

_But I’ll pass the message along._

There.

Telling Even his therapist was looking for him wasn’t the same as telling Even to go to his therapist. Even could make his own decisions.

Her reply came almost immediately.

> **Sonja (15:18)**
> 
> _Thanks, Isak._

He shoved his phone away and the conversation with it.

●●●

He did see Even that evening. Apparently the distance was too much for both of them, though Even still had to work on his project. They were slowly perfecting the art of being in the same room without explicitly interacting with one another. His presence alone was enough, though Isak would freely admit it was when they weren’t studying he was happiest.

Still, I worked. Even sat on the floor with his laptop propped up on his knees as he leaned back against the bed. Isak lay on his stomach on his mattress, text books spread out and his own laptop open as he clicked away at the online answer sheet. Every once in a while he would reach over to run his fingers through Even’s hair, which would earn him a pleased hum. And every once in a while, Even would “need to stretch his legss” which apparently meant stretch them all over Isak, but his complaints were mostly in jest. Even didn’t take them seriously, either way.

They were strangely productive, Isak’s attention wandering surprisingly little considering how close Even was. His concentration was broken with his phone went off, a notification of the group chat with the boys. He unlocked the screen and grinned, deciding to respond later as he pulled out of the message…

And there sat his conversation with Sonja from earlier today.

Isak sucked in a breath.

He said he was pass on the message, but it wasn’t like he owed it to Sonja to keep his promise. No, he owed it to Even, which is what made it a little awkward. For as much as he had tried not to think about it, the text conversation had been hanging on the edges of his subconscious. _After we hang out a bit,_ he thought. _After homework, we’ve both got a lot to do._ But he could think of a thousand excuses not to mention it.

Why? Even couldn’t just skip out on things. He knew that.

Sonja. That was why.

Isak didn’t want to tell Even that Sonja had been talking to him.

But what, one conversation? It would be fully reasonable for her to reach out to him just on this one off chance, wouldn’t it? But what if he started asking questions?

“Isak?”

Isak stiffened. When he glanced over the line of his shoulder, Even was resting his head against the mattress to look at Isak upside down. A single brow was quirked in curiosity, full lips hanging slightly open.

“Hm?”

“I’ve been saying your name a few times.”

“Oh. Sorry.” He quickly put his phone face down on the bed.

Even frowned. “Is everything okay?”

Isak shook his head as if that was a ridiculous thing to ask. “What? Yes, of course.”

Isak was a shit liar, at least to Even. They both knew it. He swallowed, then shrugged when Even just raised his other brow.

“…Actually…”

Even waited.

Isak licked his lips.

“…Your…behavior therapist is looking for you?”

Even’s eyes widened immediately. He lifted his head up and twisted around to look at Isak properly.

“My therapist?” Was Even’s voice always that deep or was Isak just feeling intimidated? His gaze dropped to the comforter as Even continued. “Why is my therapist—talking to you…?”

“She’s—“ Isak licked his lips again, a nervous habit. He rocked his head from side to side dismissively, stealing a hesitant glance at the other boy. “She’s not talking _to_ me. She just…called your parents and they asked me if I’d seen you since.” He shrugged again. He was all too aware of the light hum of his computer from being on too long and the weight of Even’s stare.

That would make sense, wouldn’t it?

Even exhaled, letting his head fall back down on to the mattress.

He seemed to accept that as an answer, but he still didn’t look happy. Not that Isak thought he would.

“…Even?” He sounded more unsure that he intended. Even closed his eyes and sighed. “You don’t…you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to…”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Even shook his head. “That’s not it.”

Isak swallowed.

The older boy dropped his hand back into his lap and offered Isak a weak smile. “I just don’t want to get you wrapped up into this.”

To that, Isak rolled his eyes. “Wrapped up in _what_? I’m not goings tell you that you have to go to your appointments.” Just like he had told Sonja. He was a man of his word.

Even was quiet for a moment, tilting his head slightly as he studied the other boy.

“I know,” he finally conceded, though Isak wasn’t sure if either of them had before that moment. Isak didn’t even know there were other appointments to keep track of, his business or not.

“…So…”

“You’re going to ask me why I didn’t go.”

Isak shrugged again.

Even laughed, though it was a little dry.

“Honestly, I just forgot.” Isak raised his brows and Even raised them right back. “What? I’m not allowed to forget? Didn’t you tell me that you forgot Magnus’ birthday?”

Isak scoffed. “My excuse happened to be because I was too busy kissing a stupid boy.”

“Oh, is that how it works?” Even grinned, setting his laptop aside more fully as he reached out across the bed towards the other boy. He carefully cupped a hand under Isak’s chin and ran his thumb under his bottom lip. “I get distracted kissing my boyfriend and get a free pass?”

The word _boyfriend_ still sent tingles down his spine. Isak gave looking annoyed a great effort, though his own smile was tugging at the edges of his lips.

“Uh, _no_. I still felt like a dick.”

“I guess that means that it’s not an excuse to take a break from homework either.”

“I didn’t say that.”

Full, slightly-chapped lips found is and Isak reconfirmed that it was, in fact, an excellent excuse to take a break from homework. And to skip a proper dinner and instead snack as they tried to catch up on the work they took a break from.

“Sorry they bothered you with that.”

“Hm?” Isak looked up from his textbook with a piece of licorice hanging from his lips. They were both sitting on Isak’s bed that time, leaning against the wall.

“My parents.”

His—oh. Right. Parents. Not Sonja.

Isak shook his head. “It’s not a bother,” he said with excellent table-side manner around the candy. “Stop saying that.”

Even glanced down to the end of the licorice and made a quick decision that it was his. Isak almost gasped, quite protective of his food.

He took one bite, then two. Isak was finding his snack shortening by the second and took a few bites himself to keep up pace. The name of the game was clear as they drew closer and closer together, lips ghosting against one another with the last couple centimeters of licorice left between them. He was caught in Even’s gaze as he slowly loosened his hold on the candy, slackening his bite and parting his lips.

Even claimed his prize, slipping his tongue into Isak’s mouth to wrap around that last bit of candy, as well as Isak’s tongue. The taste of Even and licorice was an enticing combination, lapping inside of his mouth, melting the candy between them and Isak’s heart at the same time. He wasn’t sure if he could ever eat the stuff again without thinking of that.

When they parted, Isak let out an involuntary little moan.

Even laughed.

“Fuck.”

“I’ll call her tomorrow.”

“Who?”

“My therapist.”

“Oh.”

“It sounds like your mind is somewhere else right now, Isak.”

“Shut up.”

Even raised his brows as he plucked another string of licorice from the pack. “Are you still hungry?”

“Ugh, yes.”

Even did call his therapist the next day to reschedule his appointment. And Isak just about died when he threw a pack of licorice down on the table during lunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the text format this round, and I hope it helps the flow a little bit. (It's certainly easier to format in Ao3!) 
> 
> This fic is turning out much longer than I originally intended it, but I'm okay with letting it build. Even and Isak are a lot of fun to write together so I want to try to include at least one moment between them per chapter if it works out that way. But, of course, Isak is always very good at digging himself into a little bit of trouble with lying. He's learned, but how much from his past mistakes?
> 
> More Sonja to come in the next chapter, too! We'll be seeing more and more of her as the story goes.
> 
> As always, I love to hear what you guys think and I really appreciate the feedback!


	7. Ivrig på tekster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isak and Sonja begin texting more frequently, though Isak tries to be more candid about it with Even. Is it enough?

> **Sonja (10:19)**
> 
> _I gave Dr. Østrem your number. I hope that’s ok._
> 
> **Isak (10:46)**
> 
> _I guess._
> 
> **Sonja (11:11)**
> 
> _I figured her emergency contact should be updated. Just thought you should know._
> 
> **Isak (11:13)**
> 
> _That makes sense. Thanks._

●●●

> **Isak (16:22)**
> 
> _Sorry to bother._
> 
> **Sonja (16:31)**
> 
> _It’s fine. Is everything ok?_
> 
> **Isak (16:32)**
> 
> _Yeah. Just being EC. I’m not going to get like calls from his doctor all the time am I? Because I feel like that should be Even’s decision._
> 
> **Sonja (16:34)**
> 
> _No, nothing like that. You can tell Even I gave her your number, I don’t mind. I’m sure he’d rather her call you anyway._
> 
> _You’ll only get a call if she can’t reach Even’s parents for whatever reason. She won’t discuss anything personal over the phone with you. It’s usually just to get ahold of him._
> 
> **Isak (16:38)**
> 
> _Ok. I can do that._

“Hey,” Isak said, nudging Even’s leg. Even looked up from his own phone, straightening in his seat on the Isak’s bed as he let his gaze rest on other boy. He raised his brow.

“Hey.” A small smile curled the edge of his lips.

Isak swallowed. “Sonja texted me.”

Even’s smile dropped immediately. His brows pulled close together, eyes dropping to Isak’s iPhone as the other boy shuffled it between his hands.

He shrugged, feigning a calm he didn’t feel. “She just—told me she gave my number to your doctor as an emergency contact.”

Even blinked, his frown not dissipating but his lips parting to form a small ‘o’. “Oh.”

“Is that okay?” Isak asked quietly.

The older boy blinked, his face strangely blank. It was the kind of expression that happened when Even drew into himself in his moments of uncertainty.

“Uh…” Then shook his head slightly. “I mean…is it okay with you?”

Isak licked his lips. “Well…yeah. Of course. Whatever happens, I wanna be here, so…” He exhaled, shrugging again. “But only if you want me to. I don’t want to, you know…if it’s none of my business.”

Even let a thoughtful pause fall between them. He leaned back until his head gave a soft thump against the wall behind them. Isak waited patiently, albeit with an anxiety in his belly that he worried was too apparent on his face.

“It’s not that,” Even finally said. His lips hung open for a moment before he continued. “I just…”

“Didn’t want to drag me into it?” Isak finished.

Even huffed, his eyes squinting slightly with the hints of a smile. “Shocking, right?”

Isak rolled his eyes affectionately, only to find Even’s hand at his cheek, gently rubbing his thumb along his cheekbone.

“You won’t, you know.”

“I know,” Even conceded.

“So…it’s okay?”

“It’s okay.” He leaned forward, placing a quick kiss on Isak’s lips.

●●●

> **Isak (09:41)**
> 
> _I told Even._
> 
> **Sonja (09:43)**
> 
> _About?_
> 
> **Isak (09:44)**
> 
> _That you gave the doctor my contact._
> 
> **Sonja (09:46)**
> 
> _Oh. How did he take it?_
> 
> **Isak (09:47)**
> 
> _He was ok with it._
> 
> **Sonja (09:49)**
> 
> _I thought he would be._
> 
> **Isak (09:50)**
> 
> _I just don’t think we should make those choices for him._
> 
> _Ok?_
> 
> **Sonja (09:55)**
> 
> _You’re right. I’m sorry._
> 
> **Isak (09:57)**
> 
> _It’s ok._
> 
> **Sonja (10:01)**
> 
> _I guess I’m still used to making those calls. It’s good he has you._
> 
> **Sonja (10:25)**
> 
> _I’m sorry if that was inappropriate._
> 
> **Isak (10:29)**
> 
> _It’s fine. I’m in class._
> 
> **Sonja (10:30)**
> 
> _Ok_

●●●

> **Isak (19:09)**
> 
> _Did Even used to have Facebook?_
> 
> **Sonja (19:20)**
> 
> _A while ago. Why?_
> 
> **Isak (19:23)**
> 
> _He says that he doesn’t want to get wrapped into the social media fad and I think he’s full of shit._
> 
> **Sonja (19:24)**
> 
> _Haha :)_

●●●

> **Sonja (12:49)**
> 
> _Hey, I thought this might interest you: http://www.uio.no/forskning/satsinger/livsvitenskap/aktuelt/aktuelle-saker/2017/innovasjonsarbeidet-i-gang.html_
> 
> **Isak (13:10)**
> 
> _? Do you go to UiO?_
> 
> **Sonja (13:17)**
> 
> _No, I’m just thinking about it._
> 
> **Isak (13:25)**
> 
> _Oh. Different school?_
> 
> **Sonja (13:32)**
> 
> _I’m taking the year off._
> 
> **Isak (13:49)**
> 
> _I don’t know why that’s surprising to me._
> 
> **Sonja (14:02)**
> 
> _A lot of things can change in a short amount of time, you know? I want to make sure that I know what I want to do._
> 
> **Isak (14:07)**
> 
> _Yeah._
> 
> _Do you?_
> 
> **Sonja (14:12)**
> 
> _I’m starting to._
> 
> **Isak (14:14)**
> 
> _What are you going to study?_
> 
> **Sonja (14:19)**
> 
> _I’m thinking social sciences. Retail just isn’t for me._
> 
> **Isak (14:25)**
> 
> _Yeah well no one likes retail._
> 
> **Sonja (14:31)**
> 
> _It’s a nice way to meet people, but meeting sales goals isn’t really as fulfilling._
> 
> **Isak (14:34)**
> 
> _Yeah. I guess so_.
> 
> **Sonja (14:35)**
> 
> _Do you know what you want to study when you go to university?_
> 
> **Isak (14:39)**
> 
> _Idk. I haven’t decided. Probably some sort of science._
> 
> **Sonja (14:42)**
> 
> _That doesn’t surprise me. Even did say you were smart._
> 
> **Isak (14:43)**
> 
> _He did?_
> 
> **Sonja (14:46)**
> 
> _With gusto and detail before he felt guilty about it._
> 
> **Isak (14:54)**
> 
> _Oh. Sorry._
> 
> **Sonja (14:59)**
> 
> _You don’t need to apologize. Looking back on it, it was obvious. I just didn’t want to see it. Besides, you don’t need to feel responsible for someone else’s feelings._
> 
> **Isak (15:09)**
> 
> _Ok._

●●●

> **Isak (16:39)**
> 
> _Did you do Russ._
> 
> **Sonja (16:47)**
> 
> _Yes._
> 
> **Isak (16:49)**
> 
> _Did Even?_
> 
> **Sonja (16:50)**
> 
> _I think that’s something you should ask him about._

“Hey, hey!”

Isak looked up, immediately pressing his phone to his chest, hiding the screen as he clicked the power button at the top. Even stood in the center of his own bedroom looking entirely too pleased with himself as he sported a pair of baggy red sweatpants. Arms extended out to either side, Even’s grin widened as he raised his brows at Isak expectantly. Isak, of course, slumped further back into the couch as he rolled his eyes.

Even dropped his hands and pursed his lips.

“Oh, c’mon. Even you can admit I’m rocking this look.”

Isak scoffed and let his head lull to one side, doing his best to look thoroughly unimpressed. “Whatever happened to ‘I don’t need a bus’?”

Even raised a finger. “I said bus, not pants. I need the pants. Look at these pants, Isak!” He did a little spin in place and a vogue that Madonna would be impressed by.

Isak struggled to contain his grin as he shoved his phone into his pocket. “What’s so special about these pants? Everyone else is going to look exactly the same.”

“Um,” Even began with a frown, pointing to his left leg, “is everyone else’s name Even?”

Isak rolled his eyes again for effect. “Are you saying these are your ego pants?” It was a lame effect, but he tried.

“Yes,” Even said as he stepped closer to the couch.

“Your ego doesn’t need pants.”

Even dramatically shocked, placing a hand to his chest. “Sometimes my ego likes to look decent when it goes outside.”

Isak shook his head, giving Even a shove with his knee once the taller boy was close enough. “You’re such a dork.”

“You like it though.” He waggled his brows one time, holding onto the platform of his bunk bed as he looked down at his boyfriend.

“No,” Isak said through a grin. Then he cleared his throat, trying to sound practical. “And besides, your ego would probably do better staying indoors.”

“Mmm, with your ego?”

“Ego?” It was Isak’s turn to look shocked. “I don’t have an ego.”

“Ah yes, the humble Isak Valtersen.” Even let go of the bed, letting himself fall next to Isak with a bounce, redistributing their weight on the cushions.

“I’m not the one with my name on a pair of bright red pants.” Isak reached out, patting Even’s left leg.

“We could get you a pair of pants.”

“They don’t give Russ pants to second years.”

“Mm, true. But we could make you some. Some sweats and sharpie will do.”

“You’re going to make me look desperate and homeless.”

“Desperate, yes, but never homeless.” Like the smooth operator he was, Even slid his arm along the back of the couch to hook over Isak’s shoulder. “I’ll at least give you a decent box to live in.”

“You’re so kind.”

“Only the best for my baby.”

Isak shoved him playfully, only to get wrapped into a tight hug. An appropriately dramatic and resigned sigh followed as he let himself meld into the other boy’s body, basking in the warmth and familiarity of his chest and embrace. They sat in silence for a while, a comfortable silence with Even peppering small kisses along the cuff of Isak’s ear and Isak tried not to giggle. His phone, however, weighed heavy in his pocket.

_I think that’s something you should ask Even about._

He mulled it over for a moment. Even was trying on his pants, so if there ever was a time…

“Even?”

“Mm?” Even’s hum rang loud so close to his ear, as quiet as it would have been otherwise.

“Did you do Russ before?”

The silence no longer felt comfortable.

Even stiffened slightly behind him, the line of his limbs a little hard and a little tight. He didn’t let go, but Isak let the weight of his question settle between them. He knew there were certain questions he shouldn’t ask—things that Even couldn't describe even if he wanted to. He was learning those as they went along. Was this one of them?

The fact alone that Sonja hadn’t wanted to comment implied more than he wanted to think about, but she was right: he probably wanted to hear it from Even.

“No,” he finally said, voice smaller than it had been before.

Isak felt his heart sink with that. That wasn’t all, was it?

He shifted, turning in Even’s arms to look the other boy in the eyes, eyes that were unsteady when met. Seeing that look made him wonder if it was worth talking about at all.

“Well…it can’t be because of the pants.” A poor attempt at humor.

One that worked. Even let out a small huff from his nose in muted amusement. Isak took it, turning himself around completely so he could rest his legs on top of Even’s, one hand resting on the other boy’s chest, while the other lifted to gently cup the base of his neck. Their foreheads slowly found each other, a simple but constant touch.

“You don’t have to tell me.” Isak’s voice was a whisper. He did feel guilty, Even had been so excited about his silly pants…

Their foreheads rubbed as Even shook his head. “I left school before it could really get underway.”

_Ah_.

Isak’s hand moved to the base of Even’s head, letting his fingers tangle in the strands. He didn’t push the subject. Curious or not, it said more than enough.

“Guess it’s time to live it up, huh?” Isak tried on a smile that Even wouldn’t really be able to see with how close they were. He was getting better at this.

Even huffed again. “I thought my ego would do better staying indoors?”

Isak pulled back. “What?”

Even pulled back further, raising his brows. “Are you uninviting me to your party?”

“My party?” He shook his head, incredulous. Even started to grin, pushing through the heavy moment Isak had unwittingly pulled on them.

“Our indoor party with our ego pants.”

“I literally can’t believe you.”

“Is that a yes?”

Isak shook his head again, but this time he wore a smile, feigning annoyance where only affection shone through.

“I’m serious. If you want to party, you should.”

There was a pause as Even searched his boyfriend’s face, followed by a light shake of his own head.

“I’m serious. What if I just want to party with you?”

Isak couldn’t deny the jolt of satisfaction that surged through him. Still, he put on a show of begrudgingly accepting.

“Fine.”

Even beamed.

“But no pants.”

“Oh. Already?” Even waggled his brows. “Shoes, shirts, and no service?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

●●●

Lunchtime was arguably the best time of the school day. It was Thursday so he only had a day and a half of classes to get through before the weekend. They had another missed break, but Even seemed to have no problem texting Isak while he was supposed to be paying attention to his English class.

Isak grinned at his phone as he waited for the other boys at their usual spot. But it was another text that came in mid-reply to Even.

He blinked at the notification, paused, then quickly finished his text. Clicking out of one conversation, his thumb hovered over her name. A name that he had been clicking a little too much recently, perhaps.

> **Sonja (12:14)**
> 
> _Hey._
> 
> **Isak (12:16)**
> 
> _Hey._
> 
> **Sonja (12:17)**
> 
> _Would you like to get coffee tomorrow?_

Well. That came out of nowhere.

Isak frowned at his screen. Their conversations recently had been fairly congenial, but he wasn’t sure why she would feel like meeting in person again.

“Hey.”

Isak jumps in his seat as Jonas pulls out the chair next to him. It, understandably, gets a furrowed brow from his best friend.

“Jesus!” Isak scoffed, trying to appear appropriately miffed at the unexpected interruption.

“Zoning out already?” Jonas quipped as he sat down, unzipping his bag.

“What? No.” A beat. “Okay, maybe.”

Jonas shook his head.

“Are we doing anything tomorrow?” Isak asked as he settled back down, trying to seem as offhand as possible. “Pregame?”

“…Are _you_ trying to make plans that aren’t last minute?” The shock was visible, if amused on Jonas’ face.

Isak rolled his eyes. “ _No._ ” Gosh. He wasn’t always that bad, was he?

“Too bad.” Jonas produced a decent looking sandwich. “You still owe me two packs, you know.”

“I know, I know.” Okay, maybe he was always that bad. “I'm just trying to figure out if—“

_If._

Jonas took a bite of his sandwich.

Did he really need to see Sonja? No, not really. They had gotten to a point where he felt like if she thought he needed to know something she would just straight up and tell him. It wasn’t like their conversations had been…bad. Almost congenial.

“—if I’m gonna hit up a study group tomorrow.”

“Isak…” Jonas shook his head as he chewed. “I know telling you to chill because it’s Friday is kind of a moot point by now.”

Isak stuck his tongue out before turning back his phone.

“Sometimes you’re too much of a good student.”

“All sixes,” he said quietly in a sing-song voice.

> **Isak (12:23)**
> 
> _Everything ok?_
> 
> **Sonja (12:24)**
> 
> _Yes, everything is fine. I just wanted to chat if you have time._
> 
> **Isak (12:24)**
> 
> _Not about Even?_
> 
> **Sonja (12:25)**
> 
> _About whatever you want._

What else did they have in common other than Even?

> **Isak (12:27)**
> 
> _Ok._
> 
> **Sonja (12:27)**
> 
> _Great. Same place, same time?_
> 
> **Isak (12:28)**
> 
> _Ok._
> 
> **Sonja (12:28)**
> 
> _I’ll see you tomorrow :)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took longer than I anticipated! I ended up starting school again in combination with one of my pets passing away, so my creative juices were a little strained. I do plan on finishing this, though, so thank you for your patience!
> 
> This chapter was mostly building on the relationship between Isak and Sonja, with some cute moments with Isak and Even. (Those are really fun to write.) The CONFRONTATION will be coming up in a few chapters. I'm thinking this fic might have about 12 in total with what I've planned out? We'll see!
> 
> As always, I appreciate all the feedback you leave! Thank you very much for reading and sticking with me on this, especially as we FINALLY get Season 4 on the horizon.

**Author's Note:**

> Also, if you have any fic requests or ideas you're free to send them to me. You can also find me on my tumblr SKAM blog:
> 
> http://isakyakiniku.tumblr.com
> 
> Thanks everyone!


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